By Sandy Morris

Albany High School FFA members have been competing at several district, area, and regional contests over the past two weeks and earning more banners for the club.

Wildlife Contest

The FFA Wildlife judging team competed in the Region 5 contest on Monday, April 12 at Holt River Ranch in Graford.

The team earned first place in district and eighth place in Area 4, which won the members a banner, but didn’t qualify them to advance to the next level.

By Sandy Morris

Shackelford County extension agent and 4-H sponsor Kloey Painter said local 4-H members have been busy with competitions and workshops during this busy spring season.

Shooting Sports 

Extravaganza

Three members participated in the 4-H Shooting Sports Extravaganza held in Brownwood on Saturday, April 17.

Landon Kreitler won first place in two different categories – moving targets and air pistol targets.

Also competing were Carly Kreitler and Jace Holmes.

4-H Horse Clinic

By Sandy Morris

The Nancy Smith Elementary School Scholastic Book Fair kicked off on Monday, April 19.

Sponsored by the PTO, this year’s book fair is being held virtually and will run through Sunday, May 2.

Students will have the opportunity to choose from over 6,000 products, and all items purchased will be shipped directly to the purchaser’s home.

Orders over $25 qualify for free shipping, but books must be purchased to receive this perk.

By Sandy Morris

Parents who would like to see if their children qualify for the Head Start program for the 2021-2022 school year can go to the Nancy Smith Elementary School lobby for a second registration day on Tuesday, May 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Head Start is a free, full-day pre-school program for economically disadvantaged children that are three or four years old and who qualify for free meals.

Head Start is also open to students with specified disabilities.

By Sandy Morris

The Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association met on Tuesday, April 13 to begin making plans for next year’s county livestock show.

The 2022 SCYLA show will be held Jan. 20-22, 2022, with a Pig Sale scheduled for Sept. 12, 2021.

Directors & Officers

Director Rocky Vinson, who is moving, was replaced on the board by Logan Neve.

Other current directors include Garry Edgar, Mike Folsom, Mike Parsons, J.W. Askew, Cody Leech, John Caldwell, and Jim Owen.

Elle Kaye Terry of Roby and Drew Neece of Albany were united in marriage Dec. 19, 2020 at Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church in Albany officiated by Ridgdon Terry.

The bride is the daughter of Jeremy and Shannon Terry of Roby. Her grandparents are Mike and the late Jo Ann Terry of Roby and the late Ross Ann Cox of Arlington.

Parents of the groom are Kim Neece Fuentes and the late Doug Neece of Albany. Larry and Ginger Bartee and Art and Jane Neece, all of Albany, are his grandparents.

By Sandy Morris

The sun was out and the temperature was pleasant,  providing a perfect environment for an outdoor concert Sunday night.

The Albany Ministerial Alliance sponsored Indie folk rock band Dawson Hollow at the Bank Park, free to the public.

AMA president Jeff Turner said organizers were pleased with the response and the turnout.

Turner said that he did a head count at one point and thought they had about 130-150 in attendance.

 By Sandy Morris

Early voting for the May 1 local election is underway and will continue through Tuesday, April 27.

The hospital board has the only locally contested race in Shackelford County, 

Four candidates have filed for the three available at-large seats on the Shackelford County hospital board. 

The ballot lists incumbents Mike Folsom, Jo Ann Estridge, and Leslie Belcher, along with challenger Mary Boland. 

By Brad McBee

This past week, an interesting bird has been migrating through our area and has elected to settled down for a while. 

The Yellow-headed Blackbird winters in Mexico and migrates in the spring north all the way to the upper regions of Canada. They typically breed in marshy freshwater and reedy lakes, where seed and insects are abundant. 

The usual migratory route takes the bird further west through New Mexico and western Texas. This year, large numbers of the Yellow-headed Blackbirds have ended up in Albany.

By Sandy Morris

Anyone who would like to add a veteran’s name to the Shackelford County veterans memorial marker is asked to contact Mary Kay O’Connor at 325-660-2498 by Monday, May 10 at the latest.

Veterans do not have to be deceased, nor do they have to have served in a war to be included on the memorial marker.

O’Connor hopes to have all names updated on the marker in time for Memorial Day, Monday, May 31.

She will need the veteran’s name the way it will appear on the marker as well as proof of service.